rebuilding my 54 gmc gauges question for you all!

[Budman56]

Hello all I am new here to the 54 group, I a 54 gmc that I will be working on for my wife and I am now rebuilding the gauge cluster. I tore it apart last night and realized that its nothing like my 66 chevy cluster, so the question is has anyone here rebuilt one of these before? if so can you direct me to the thread where you or someone else has done it. Thank you in advance.

[Tomb23]

Well first do you know if they all work ?

[Budman56]

Originally Posted by Tomb23

Well first do you know if they all work ?

Don't know if they work. I have refurbed many 60 to 66 and in most cases the gauges work and the ones that don't I am usually able to fix. I just haven't done a early models GMC these gauges are different in Tha way they come apart it would appear that there is no easy way to pull the glass of the gauge other than bending up the metal ring on the back side to get to the gauge it self. I just wanted to see if any one else had done it that way before I do it.

[Tomb23]

I went the local hardware/paint stue , git one those old looking paint can opens looks sort alike a bottle opener file down the lip Thinner till you can get it to bite under the edge. Then Find yourself something to go between the gauge housing and pry againest it SLOWLY and just a little bit at time, I used two small CHEAP $ STORE rubber handle Screwdrivers.

Reinstall used SMALL channel locks 5 Inch. Also Duck taped the Jaws no marks left

[Tomb23]

I went the local hardware/paint store , git one those old looking paint can opens looks sort alike a bottle opener file down the lip Thinner till you can get it to bite under the edge. Then Find yourself something to go between the gauge housing and pry against it SLOWLY and just a little bit at time, I used two small CHEAP $ STORE rubber handle Screwdrivers.

Reinstall used SMALL channel locks 5 Inch. Also Duck taped the Jaws no marks left

[Budman56]

So I started dis-assembly yesterday got all the gauges apart and started bead blasting them now they are ready for paint.

[solidaxel]

My 55 I think Is the same as 54, the gauges are Classis Inst, the stock ones are around here somewhere

[Budman56]

So since it appears that no one has done one it looks like I will be the test Ginny pig.....LOL here is the decal I was saying that I am not happy with, the color are not original (not correct) they should have been white not this crappy yellow color. Also noted that the decal feels more like paper than vinyl. Also note that they have already started shrinking on the backer paper, there is about an 1/8" gap all around each of the decals. And the decal is not printed on 3m vinyl. they are also very shinny which will show every defect under them. so when I reprint them my self I will make them matt finish. I started with the oil gauge decal and applied it to the face of the gauge and it wouldn't stick. so off they came and I sent it to my printer to have them remade.